Lim Guan Eng urges Malaysia to sue Indonesia over haze if Jakarta rejects Asean firefighting task force

Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has urged Malaysia to consider legal action against Indonesia if it refuses cooperation in forming a permanent ASEAN firefighting task force to address the transboundary haze crisis.

Highlighting the significant impact on public health, livelihoods, and economic prosperity, Lim called for a coordinated regional approach and criticized Indonesia's reluctance to accept international assistance.

He also emphasized the need for Malaysia to support those economically affected by the haze and proposed establishing a permanent regional task force to address forest and land fires proactively.

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 15 — Bagan MP Lim Guan Eng has urged Malaysia to consider legal action against Indonesia to seek compensation for the worsening transboundary haze crisis if Jakarta refuses to cooperate with a proposed permanent Asean firefighting task force.

Lim said the recurring crisis, which has forced schools to close and disrupted livelihoods, could no longer be treated as an annual inconvenience, calling for a coordinated regional response to tackle forest and land fires at their source.

In his speech during the Budget 2027 debate in the Dewan Rakyat today, the former finance minister proposed establishing a permanent Asean task force involving Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore and the Philippines, with rescue personnel available throughout the year to respond swiftly to outbreaks of forest and land fires.

The call comes as Malaysia continues to grapple with deteriorating air quality caused by smoke from forest and land fires in Indonesia, with 34 of the country’s 68 air monitoring stations recording unhealthy Air Pollutant Index (API) readings as of 10am today.

Klang and Johan Setia in Selangor recorded the highest readings at 192, approaching the very unhealthy threshold of 201. The haze has also disrupted daily life, with schools in Kuala Lumpur, Putrajaya and several states ordered to close on October 9 to protect students from exposure to polluted air.

“If the Indonesian government continues to reject the Asean task force on grounds of national sovereignty, the Malaysian government will have no choice but to initiate legal action to seek compensation,” he said, according to the text of his speech.

“Malaysians can no longer remain silent and take no action in the face of this recurring haze crisis.”

The DAP national adviser said forest and land fires in Indonesia had affected an estimated 300,000 hectares this year, an area more than 70 per cent larger than that recorded in 2025.

He also criticised Jakarta for what he described as its reluctance to accept foreign assistance, including offers from Malaysia, despite the growing scale of the fires.

“It is deeply regrettable that the Indonesian government has refused to continue accepting international assistance from Japan, which has already ended, or to promptly accept offers of assistance from foreign countries, including Malaysia,” he said.

“Its justification is that Indonesia is capable of handling the forest and land fires, although the reality suggests otherwise.”

Lim argued that a permanent regional response team, rather than temporary arrangements activated only during emergencies, would allow ASEAN countries to tackle fires before the resulting smoke spread across national borders.

He also called on the Malaysian government to provide financial assistance to people whose incomes have been affected by the haze, particularly gig economy workers and Grab drivers who rely on outdoor work.

“Our schools have been closed, while workers, particularly those in the gig economy and Grab drivers, have been forced to stop working because of the haze crisis,” he said.

“The long-term health effects have yet to be determined. In short, the government should provide financial assistance to those affected.”

Lim said the haze was threatening not only public health and children’s safety but also Malaysia’s economic prosperity, making a lasting regional solution increasingly urgent.

His proposals formed part of a wider speech in support of Budget 2027, which was tabled by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on October 9.

The haze has become a growing regional concern, with fires in Indonesia affecting air quality across neighbouring countries, including Malaysia and Singapore.

On October 11, Deputy Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said Malaysia was still awaiting Indonesia’s response to its offer to send a firefighting aircraft, three helicopters and 52 personnel to help tackle the blazes, according to Bernama.

Indonesia, meanwhile, said on October 13 that it would assess foreign offers of assistance based on their effectiveness in supporting firefighting operations, according to CNA.

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蒲甘国会议员林冠英敦促马来西亚考虑对印尼采取法律行动，如果印尼拒绝合作组建东盟常设消防工作组以应对跨境烟霾危机。

林强调了疫情对公共卫生、民生和经济繁荣的重大影响，呼吁采取协调一致的区域措施，并批评印尼不愿接受国际援助。

他还强调马来西亚有必要支持那些受烟霾影响的人们，并提议成立一个常设的区域工作组，积极应对森林和土地火灾。

吉隆坡，10月15日讯——蒲甘国会议员林冠英敦促马来西亚考虑对印尼采取法律行动，以寻求赔偿，因为如果雅加达拒绝与拟议的东盟常设消防工作组合作，印尼将面临日益恶化的跨境烟霾危机。

林先生表示，反复发生的森林火灾危机已经迫使学校关闭，扰乱了人们的生计，不能再将其视为每年一次的不便，他呼吁采取协调一致的区域应对措施，从源头上解决森林和土地火灾问题。

在今天国会下议院就 2027 年财政预算案进行辩论时，这位前财政部长提议成立一个由马来西亚、印度尼西亚、新加坡和菲律宾组成的常设东盟工作组，全年配备救援人员，以便迅速应对森林和土地火灾的爆发。

马来西亚正努力应对印尼森林和土地火灾产生的烟雾造成的空气质量恶化问题，截至今天上午 10 点，该国 68 个空气监测站中有 34 个记录到不健康的空气污染指数 (API) 读数。

巴生和雪兰莪州的约翰塞蒂亚的空气污染指数最高，达到192，接近201的极不健康阈值。雾霾也扰乱了人们的日常生活，吉隆坡、布城和几个州的学校被勒令于10月9日停课，以保护学生免受污染空气的侵害。

根据他的演讲稿，他表示：“如果印尼政府继续以国家主权为由拒绝接受东盟工作组，马来西亚政府将别无选择，只能提起法律诉讼以寻求赔偿。”

“面对反复出现的雾霾危机，马来西亚人不能再保持沉默，无所作为。”

民主行动党国家顾问表示，今年印尼的森林和土地火灾已影响约 30 万公顷土地，比 2025 年记录的面积大 70% 以上。

他还批评雅加达不愿接受外国援助，包括马来西亚的援助，尽管火灾规模越来越大。

他说：“令人深感遗憾的是，印尼政府拒绝继续接受已经结束的日本国际援助，也拒绝及时接受包括马来西亚在内的外国提供的援助。”

“其理由是印尼有能力应对森林和土地火灾，但事实并非如此。”

林认为，建立一支常设的区域响应小组，而不是仅在紧急情况下启动的临时安排，可以让东盟国家在火灾产生的烟雾蔓延到国界之外之前将其扑灭。

他还呼吁马来西亚政府向受雾霾影响收入的人们提供财政援助，特别是那些依赖户外工作的零工经济从业者和Grab司机。

他说：“由于雾霾危机，我们的学校已经关闭，而工人们，特别是零工经济从业者和网约车司机，被迫停止工作。”

“长期健康影响尚待确定。简而言之，政府应该向受影响者提供经济援助。”

林冠英表示，雾霾不仅威胁公众健康和儿童安全，也威胁马来西亚的经济繁荣，因此，寻求持久的区域解决方案变得越来越迫切。

他的提议是支持 2027 年财政预算案的更广泛演讲的一部分，该预算案由首相拿督斯里安华·易卜拉欣于 10 月 9 日提交。

雾霾已成为日益严重的区域性问题，印度尼西亚的火灾影响了包括马来西亚和新加坡在内的邻国的空气质量。

据马新社报道，10月11日，马来西亚副首相拿督斯里阿末扎希表示，马来西亚仍在等待印尼对其派遣一架消防飞机、三架直升机和52名人员协助灭火的提议作出回应。

据中央社报道，印尼方面于10月13日表示，将根据外国援助在支持消防行动方面的有效性来评估其援助提议。

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洛克表示，如果肇事司机不向受害者支付赔偿金，可能会面临资产没收。

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